Freshmen Phenoms
Schultz, Kawall, Providing Big Impact For Somonauk Lady Bobcats ...
| Northern Illinois Sports Beat http://www.northernillinoissportsbeat.com |
Photos by Bill Lidinsky
Somonauk freshmen Ashlee Kawall (left) and Jessica Schultz (right) have been stellar for the
Lady Bobcats' program. Their team is 16-4 and in contention for the Little 10 Conference
championship.
Somonauk freshmen Ashlee Kawall (left) and Jessica Schultz (right) have been stellar for the
Lady Bobcats' program. Their team is 16-4 and in contention for the Little 10 Conference
championship.
By Bill Lidinsky
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Contributor
Jessica Schultz and Ashlee Kawall are the only two freshmen in the Somonauk softball
program on either the junior varsity or varsity levels.
But both frosh girls are playing well above their young age in helping lead the Lady
Bobcats to a stellar 16-4 overall varsity record so far in 2010.
Schultz has been one of the area's finest small school pitchers compiling a remarkable 15-
2 ledger within the circle. She’s limited her opponents with a stingy 1.09 ERA, while
producing a whopping 161 strikeouts and yielding a mere 28 walks through 19
appearances.
Add to that her first career no-hitter that came against Hiawatha during a 10-0 win on
Tuesday April 27, and Schultz is on the brink of a fabulous freshman campaign that also
is seeing her excel at the plate with a .381 batting average and a team leading 23 runs
batted in.
Kawall has been equally impressive minus the pitching. Midway through Somonauk’s 20
games played this season, the 5’3” speedster was called up to the varsity squad and has
been nothing less than fantastic at the plate and in the field. During her nine varsity
contests since moving up, Kawall has posted a blistering .625 batting average with 15 hits
during 24 at bats along with knocking in seven runs.
The fleet frosh has also swiped nine bases and scored ten runs while fielding a flawless
left field in which she’s produced several defensive web gems and no errors.
All in all, two very special freshmen talents that have arrived on the Somonauk softball
scene.
“We have only two freshmen in our whole program. How luckily are we to get two freshmen
players like Jessica and Ashlee that can come to the varsity level and not only contribute,
but contribute in very big ways?” said Somonauk co-head coach Darvil Hayes. “Ashlee’s
hitting over .600, while Jess is batting better than .350 with 15 pitching wins and more
than 150 strikeouts. It’s phenomenal what they’ve both done so far and it’s fun to think
how good they both are at such a young age.”
Schultz is no stranger to playing high school varsity sports at an extremely elevated level.
Last fall she finished second at the IHSA Class A individual golf championships after
leading the event for three rounds.
She’s now bringing the same confidence and championship mentality to the Bobcat
softball diamond where she fully expects to produce a similar lofty result.
“Obviously I can’t do it all myself and I’ve got a great defensive team behind me when I
pitch. It was great to get my first no hitter against Hiawatha and I think there will be more to
come in my softball career,” Schultz said. “It’s a really great feeling to be a freshman
pitcher on the varsity level. I love the pressure and the competition. When there are
runners on base and there’s a 3-2 count, I can count on myself to get that strikeout. That’
s the way I think. I believe we’ll do great things in the playoffs this year. I’d love to make it
into sectionals and maybe even to state.”
“Jessica took second in the state in golf for a reason. She’s a great competitor that’s in
total control especially when she’s pitching,” said Somonauk co-head coach Scott Siuda.
“She just has a tremendous amount of desire. Some people have it, but others have it a
lot more like Jess. She’s just got total game and the heart of a champion.”
Kawall is quite accomplished outside softball as well. In seventh and eighth grade at
Somonauk Middle School she was an IESA state qualifying sprinter which accounts for her
blazing speed on the base paths and in the field.
She also made the Somonauk varsity basketball team as a freshman point guard this past
winter where she contributed significantly to a fine ballclub.
But now it’s time for Kawall to shine in softball.
“I don’t know if I’m a leader quite yet because we’ve got some great players way ahead of
me. But I do my best to get on, steal some bases, and hopefully score some runs. I just try
to do what I do,” Kawall said. “When I first came up to varsity I was scared a little bit. But
now I’m totally comfortable playing at the upper level. Its just softball now where I know I
can contribute to a great team.”
“We’ve got Ashlee batting in the nine spot, but that’s like a second lead off position to us.
She can beat out almost any bunt she puts down, she forces bad throws with her great
speed and she’s a tremendous fielder,” Hayes said. “She’s given us a totally different
dimension at the bottom of our order and she’s just a great kid. We know she can play
anywhere we put her in the field especially in the outfield where she can just flat out fly to
the ball.”
By no means are the Lady Bobcats just limited to Schultz and Kawall. Seniors Samantha
Croy, Megan Cyr, Hillary Paull, Julie Keenan, and Rachel Raupp along with juniors Jordan
Smith, Sam Stearns, Emily Paull, and sophomore Lauren Brummel all have contributed
significantly to a team that carries a 9-2 Little Ten Conference record into a showdown on
Monday and Tuesday next week with Indian Creek. Those meetings will determine the
LTC girls champion for 2010.
Then it’s looking ahead to the Indian Creek Class 1A Regional set to start the week of
May 16 where Somonauk.
Expect Schultz and Kawall to be front and center as the Lady Bobcats make another push
towards returning to a 1A sectional championship contest they competed in during 2009.
“The sky’s the limit. Our team certainly wants to win the Little Ten. But we want to get back
to where last years team went,” Schultz said. “That team was outstanding. Hopefully we
can be just as good. It feels great to be a part of what we’ve accomplished of far.”
Bill Lidinsky is a Northern Illinois Sports Beat contributor. He can be reached in care of
NISB at Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our
Message Boards!
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Contributor
Jessica Schultz and Ashlee Kawall are the only two freshmen in the Somonauk softball
program on either the junior varsity or varsity levels.
But both frosh girls are playing well above their young age in helping lead the Lady
Bobcats to a stellar 16-4 overall varsity record so far in 2010.
Schultz has been one of the area's finest small school pitchers compiling a remarkable 15-
2 ledger within the circle. She’s limited her opponents with a stingy 1.09 ERA, while
producing a whopping 161 strikeouts and yielding a mere 28 walks through 19
appearances.
Add to that her first career no-hitter that came against Hiawatha during a 10-0 win on
Tuesday April 27, and Schultz is on the brink of a fabulous freshman campaign that also
is seeing her excel at the plate with a .381 batting average and a team leading 23 runs
batted in.
Kawall has been equally impressive minus the pitching. Midway through Somonauk’s 20
games played this season, the 5’3” speedster was called up to the varsity squad and has
been nothing less than fantastic at the plate and in the field. During her nine varsity
contests since moving up, Kawall has posted a blistering .625 batting average with 15 hits
during 24 at bats along with knocking in seven runs.
The fleet frosh has also swiped nine bases and scored ten runs while fielding a flawless
left field in which she’s produced several defensive web gems and no errors.
All in all, two very special freshmen talents that have arrived on the Somonauk softball
scene.
“We have only two freshmen in our whole program. How luckily are we to get two freshmen
players like Jessica and Ashlee that can come to the varsity level and not only contribute,
but contribute in very big ways?” said Somonauk co-head coach Darvil Hayes. “Ashlee’s
hitting over .600, while Jess is batting better than .350 with 15 pitching wins and more
than 150 strikeouts. It’s phenomenal what they’ve both done so far and it’s fun to think
how good they both are at such a young age.”
Schultz is no stranger to playing high school varsity sports at an extremely elevated level.
Last fall she finished second at the IHSA Class A individual golf championships after
leading the event for three rounds.
She’s now bringing the same confidence and championship mentality to the Bobcat
softball diamond where she fully expects to produce a similar lofty result.
“Obviously I can’t do it all myself and I’ve got a great defensive team behind me when I
pitch. It was great to get my first no hitter against Hiawatha and I think there will be more to
come in my softball career,” Schultz said. “It’s a really great feeling to be a freshman
pitcher on the varsity level. I love the pressure and the competition. When there are
runners on base and there’s a 3-2 count, I can count on myself to get that strikeout. That’
s the way I think. I believe we’ll do great things in the playoffs this year. I’d love to make it
into sectionals and maybe even to state.”
“Jessica took second in the state in golf for a reason. She’s a great competitor that’s in
total control especially when she’s pitching,” said Somonauk co-head coach Scott Siuda.
“She just has a tremendous amount of desire. Some people have it, but others have it a
lot more like Jess. She’s just got total game and the heart of a champion.”
Kawall is quite accomplished outside softball as well. In seventh and eighth grade at
Somonauk Middle School she was an IESA state qualifying sprinter which accounts for her
blazing speed on the base paths and in the field.
She also made the Somonauk varsity basketball team as a freshman point guard this past
winter where she contributed significantly to a fine ballclub.
But now it’s time for Kawall to shine in softball.
“I don’t know if I’m a leader quite yet because we’ve got some great players way ahead of
me. But I do my best to get on, steal some bases, and hopefully score some runs. I just try
to do what I do,” Kawall said. “When I first came up to varsity I was scared a little bit. But
now I’m totally comfortable playing at the upper level. Its just softball now where I know I
can contribute to a great team.”
“We’ve got Ashlee batting in the nine spot, but that’s like a second lead off position to us.
She can beat out almost any bunt she puts down, she forces bad throws with her great
speed and she’s a tremendous fielder,” Hayes said. “She’s given us a totally different
dimension at the bottom of our order and she’s just a great kid. We know she can play
anywhere we put her in the field especially in the outfield where she can just flat out fly to
the ball.”
By no means are the Lady Bobcats just limited to Schultz and Kawall. Seniors Samantha
Croy, Megan Cyr, Hillary Paull, Julie Keenan, and Rachel Raupp along with juniors Jordan
Smith, Sam Stearns, Emily Paull, and sophomore Lauren Brummel all have contributed
significantly to a team that carries a 9-2 Little Ten Conference record into a showdown on
Monday and Tuesday next week with Indian Creek. Those meetings will determine the
LTC girls champion for 2010.
Then it’s looking ahead to the Indian Creek Class 1A Regional set to start the week of
May 16 where Somonauk.
Expect Schultz and Kawall to be front and center as the Lady Bobcats make another push
towards returning to a 1A sectional championship contest they competed in during 2009.
“The sky’s the limit. Our team certainly wants to win the Little Ten. But we want to get back
to where last years team went,” Schultz said. “That team was outstanding. Hopefully we
can be just as good. It feels great to be a part of what we’ve accomplished of far.”
Bill Lidinsky is a Northern Illinois Sports Beat contributor. He can be reached in care of
NISB at Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our
Message Boards!
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